WINDSOR FOOD & FUEL BANK PRESENTS ITS “2025 VOLUNTEER AND SUPPORT AWARDS”
WINDSOR, CONN., November 28, 2025 – The Windsor Food & Fuel Bank Inc. recently presented its “2025 Volunteer and Support Awards” at the LP. Wilson Community Center. The all-volunteer Board, along with its partners at Windsor Social Services, works year round to accomplish its mission of ensuring that no town resident goes hungry, is cold, or goes without basic necessities.
“It truly takes a community to meet the needs of the increasing number of Windsor residents seeking support,” says Joanna Gould, President of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank’s Board of Directors. “Our volunteers and donors give so much, and it’s important that we pause and thank them – which is why our annual awards mean so much to us.”
The four (4) 2025 honorees are: 1) Windsor resident Marilyn Boehm; 2) Windsor residents Susan and Bill Kirby; 3) Club Fitness of Windsor; and 4) Saint Damien of Molokai Parish in Windsor. The awardees and their guests were welcomed by President Gould and the Board of Directors, by Mayor Nuchette Black-Burke, and by State Rep. Jane Garibay, a past president of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank, who also presented proclamations from the Connecticut General Assembly.
The following are descriptions of the 2025 Windsor Food & Fuel Bank honorees:
►Marilyn Boehm has been a volunteer for the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank for two decades. She started by working in the Food Bank, assisting with the distribution of food to clients. Then, as the organization’s food programs expanded, Marilyn began volunteering with the Groceries to Go Senior Food program and did home deliveries for our homebound senior clients. That involvement continues to this day, and over the years, Marilyn has assisted in the Weekend Wheels student food program and has supported the Mobile CT Foodshare outdoor distribution program. In fact, she often steps forward and picks up open volunteer shifts to ensure there is enough help to get the work done. The number of hours over these last 20 years that Marilyn has volunteered through the Food Bank’s programs providing food to residents in need simply cannot be counted! But she CAN be counted on for her dedication, reliability and kindness in helping to provide food assistance to so many Windsor residents in need.
►Windsor residents Bill and Susan Kirby are wonderful supporters of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank and have made generous donations of nonperishable food and toiletries to the Food Bank for many years. Bill is a master-couponer, and they get amazing deals that they donate monthly to neighbors in need. The husband and wife frequently first check with the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank to learn what are the most needed items and what clients want the most – and then they bring that. Their savvy shopping and personal donations of 75 bags each month result in over 1,000 pounds for Groceries to Go and the Food Bank. Bill and Susan’s kindness, dedication, organization, planning, shopping and deliveries greatly helps the organization to serve their clients in need. Their nonstop dedication and work to support the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank and the people of Windsor are greatly appreciated.
►Club Fitness on Day Hill Road in Windsor is a great model of what fitness centers can do to support food banks in their communities. For years, Club Fitness has hosted holiday food collection boxes to benefit the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank. However, this past January, management decided to keep the nonperishable food collections going all year long. The boxes are located near the gym’s entrance, so it is easy for patrons to bring a food item with them whenever they come to work out… and the boxes are always full. The Windsor Food & Fuel Bank is grateful to local businesses like Club Fitness that are community-conscious, and we are hopeful that others will follow their lead. and step up to help others too. Their support helps the Windsor community healthy in many ways. (The award was accepted by Club Fitness’ Manager Rosa Mattiello and Personal Trainer Adrienne Gwen)
►For over 35 years, the Saint Damien of Molokai Parish and its parishioners have been helping hungry neighbors in need by assisting the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank. Long before the 2017 joining of the former St. Joseph and St. Gabriel churches, parishioners always stepped forward to sponsor community drives of food and funds – traditions that continue to this day. The Parish’s Social Action Committee’s dedicated volunteers have overseen countless projects for many years including the planning, organization and preparation of collections of different kinds. Every month, their collections generate approximately two to three carloads of food for our Food Bank! This Social Action Committee has also assembled backpacks and school supplies for Windsor students and, for over a decade, has organized collections for Windsor’s Weekend Wheels student food program, the most recent one last month. And this month, the youth in the Church’s Faith Formation CCD classes held their annual Thanksgiving food collection and turkey drive, as they have for nearly two decades. This help has never been needed more than now… (The award was accepted by the parish’s Father Joseph)
“Our honorees have gone above and beyond in supporting their neighbors, reflecting the very best of Windsor,” adds Joanna Gould. “Their commitment reminds us how powerful community action can be, and we hope it encourages others to join us at the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank in this important work.”
WIN-TV recorded the ceremony and will post it on: https://youtube.com/@win-tv and www.win-tv.org.
The Windsor Food and Fuel Bank, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was founded in 1967 as the Windsor Community Service Council (WCSC). The all-volunteer Board, along with our partners at Windsor Social Services, works to accomplish our Mission of assuring that no Windsor resident is hungry, cold, or without basic necessities. The generosity of local individuals, businesses, civic and religious organizations provides for 95 percent of the WF&FB’s annual operating budget.
To assist residents affected by the federal government shutdown, Windsor Social Services with the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank created a resource page at windsorct.gov/930 that provides the latest updates on benefit availability, local and statewide food programs, and ways for residents to access assistance.
If you are a Windsor resident and not a current client of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank but find yourself in need of food assistance, call the Windsor Social Services office at 860-285-1839, Mondays through Fridays. Information is also available at www.townofwindsorct.com/social-services and at www.windsorfoodbank.org.
Here are two links to media coverage of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank’s “2025 Volunteer Recognition & Support Ceremony”:
Thanks to Jenny and her team at WIN-TV and to John Karas, editor of The Windsor Journal, for their ongoing support of the Windsor Food & Fuel Bank!